Eastern Wayne girls rule the pool

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on January 17, 2014 1:47 PM

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Relax and have some fun.

Eastern Wayne's girls certainly did.

The Warriors emerged victorious in all three relays and had four individual winners during a four-team meet contested at B.G. Darden Natatorium inside the Goldsboro Family Y on Thursday evening.

Eastern Wayne piled up 163 points, while first-place finishers Olivia Paul and Matti Rose Lyon led Goldsboro to a runner-up spot with 117. Southern Wayne edged Charles B. Aycock, 76-74, for third place.

"The girls had 12 personal records tonight, including all three relays, which were all re-configured to maximize their speed," EW coach Vince Beasley said. "A lot of hard work this season by each and every girl that swam tonight is paying off. We hope the personal improvements will improve through the conference meet next week."

Four EW girls -- Kaitlin Tallarida, Julie-Ann Pierce, Briana Applegarth and Carmen Vickory -- combined for 27 points in events they hadn't swam this season. Tallarida won the 200 free in 2 minutes, 46.67 seconds.

Applegarth competed on the meet-winning 200 medley and 400 free relays, and captured first in the 100 free in 1:14.66 seconds. She was joined by Cheyenne Craft, Sophie Zou and Tricia Malcolm.

Lilly Boyette, who captured the 200 individual medley (IM), swam on the first-place 200 free relay. Competing with her were Tallarida, Craft and Malcolm comprised the 200 free relay squad. Applegarth, Tallarida, Boyette and Malcolm wrapped up the meet with a victory in the 400 free relay.

"I'm very proud of the girls' effort," Beasley said.

Paul secured the 500 free in 7:31.16, while Lyon posted a first-place time of 1:29.47 in the 100 breaststroke.

Southern Wayne's Chloe Edwards took the 100 butterfly in 1:33.23.

C.B. Aycock's 200 medley relay squad had hovered around the regional-qualifying mark all season, but couldn't break the barrier. They did it this time.

The foursome of Zech Chastain, Colton Marley, Charlie Robertson and Devin Hall touched the wall first in 1:58.51 -- a mere 48-hundredths of a second lower than the standard set by the N.C. High School Athletic Association.

"We finally made it," CBA head coach Linda Chastain said.

Robertson, Hall, Chastain and Allan Best combined to win the 200 free relay (1:45.86) later in the evening. Chastain, a freshman, has qualified for the regional in eight individual events and is the program's new record-holder in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.75 seconds. His older brother, Sam, held the mark.

Hall won the 1-meter diving competition with a season- and career-best 400 points.

"Devin has been incredible in his diving and has stepped up to be a really good captain and leader of this team," coach Chastain said. "I think he is doing his best diving since his freshman year."

Goldsboro sprinter Zach Darden dominated the 50- and 100-yard freestyles, while teammate Timmy Vick won the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.19. The duo swam on the Cougars' meet-winning 400 relay that included Vincent Spagnuolo and Christian Martens.

The Cougars ended up first with 118 team points.

"Tonight's meet was a lot of fun because it was so much smaller than the others," Goldsboro coach Tammy Yates said. "I think the swimmers were less stressed and that resulted in some great swims."

Eastern Wayne's boys logged 13 personal records, including the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay. The 200 medley and 400 free foursomes were Brad Makdad, Greg Moorehead, Ryan Fleming and Will Samson.

Makdad had PRs in four individual events, while teammate Willie Smith touched the wall first during his season debut in the 100 fly. Smith placed second in 1-meter diving.

Southern Wayne's Austin Edgecomb won the 200 IM and 500 free. Teammate Myles Davis recorded top-four times in the 200 free and 100 fly.

"I am so proud of the team," first-year SW head coach Chad Davis said. "I placed my swimmers in different events than they are normally used to (swimming). And they accepted the challenge, really competed in those events.

"We finished strong, individually and as a team."